Diarrhea in Shelter Kittens

**Please note that the following information is meant to enhance knowledge and by no means should be used as a substitute for care by a veterinarian. Always be sure to consult with a veterinarian before attempting to treat sick animals.** Furthermore, I am limiting the scope of this to diarrhea in kittens. Treating adult cats for diarrhea can be quite different as there are other serious causes of diarrhea such as metabolic imbalances and cancer. Diarrhea in kittens in the shelter setting can be very frustrating to manage. On the one hand, kittens being admitted to the shelter are predisposed to developing diarrhea due to the change in environment, change in diet, exposure to new animals and pathogens, and the stress associated with these changes. On the other hand, it is important to treat diarrhea in kittens rapidly and aggressively. Kittens are in a fragile state and can become dehydrated and decline very rapidly. Furthermore, in a high density shelter setting, infectious diseases are more likely to occur and spread throughout the population, so it is important to identify possible infectious cases of diarrhea rapidly. The most common causes of diarrhea in shelter kittens include changing food, stress, and infectious diseases. Infectious causes of diarrhea are primarily from intestinal parasites (roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, whipworms, coccidia, Giardia, Tritrichomonas foetus, and Toxoplasma gondii), bacterial infections/overgrowth (Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter, and Clostridium), or viruses (panleukopenia virus, calicivirus, rotavirus and coronavirus). Infectious causes of diarrhea need to be treated to prevent spread throughout the shelter. Diarrhea in kittens can be made more manageable by having good preventative practices in place. The first step is to vaccinate and de-parasitize all kittens at intake. Vaccinate all kittens greater than 4- 6 weeks of age (depending on your particular shelter’s risk level) with an FVRCP vaccine. Deworm kittens with a broad-spectrum antiparasitic agent to address internal parasites, and treat them for external parasites as well. Another good management practice to prevent spread of infectious disease is to have good sanitation protocols. Make sure kennels, blankets, toys, dishes, and litterboxes are being cleaned between every new animal and be sure the disinfectants being used are able to kill the bacteria, viruses, and parasites you are targeting. Probably the most important management tool you can use to prevent the spread of infectious disease is to always wear gloves while handling an animal or cleaning an animal’s cage. This also protects you from getting a zoonotic disease. Be sure to put on new gloves for each new animal or housing unit (if animals are housed in the same cage together, you do not need to use a new pair of gloves between each animal in the cage). Despite the best management practices, some diarrhea is normal and to be expected and won’t necessarily warrant treatment. Understanding the difference between “expected” diarrhea and the type of diarrhea that needs treatment is very important to maintain the health of the animals without over-treating and wasting resources. “Expected” diarrhea tends to be “loose” or “cow-pie” consistency without mucus or blood. This type of diarrhea is often seen with diet changes or after being dewormed. Now remember that just because this is diarrhea is “expected” doesn’t mean the animal doesn’t need to be monitored. These animals still need to be monitored daily while they have diarrhea to make sure they stay hydrated, are eating, remain alert and active and that the diarrhea doesn’t become worse. Kittens may need to be treated if any of the following apply:

Liquid diarrhea for greater than 2 days

Loose/cowpie stool for greater than 3-5 days

Diarrhea with vomiting

If the kitten is dehydrated

If the kitten has a decreased appetite or isn’t eating

If the kitten is depressed or lethargic

If the diarrhea has blood in it

There are a variety of treatments and opinions on how to treat diarrhea in kittens. I think the most important point is that there are written protocols in place that have been developed in consultation with a veterinarian familiar with your shelter population. Here is a protocol to consider (This protocol assumes the kittens receive FVRCP vaccination, broad spectrum dewormer, and topical parasiticide at intake):

Step 1: For mild cases of diarrhea <5 days, when the kitten is eating, active, and alert, consider switching to a bland diet and adding a probiotic to the food once daily for 7 days.

Step 2: If the diarrhea becomes a liquid consistency, has blood in it, or persists for greater than 5-7 days, consider using a medication such as Metronidazole should be added.

Step 4: If the diarrhea still has not resolved, consider treating for a nutritional sensitivity or stress. Try a different diet or a novel-protein diet. Consider having the kitten put in a foster home to see if a less-stressful environment will help resolve the diarrhea.

**If at any time a kitten is dehydrated or depressed, add in subcutaneous fluids one to two times daily for 3-5 days as needed. Bloodwork may also be necessary for those kittens that aren’t responding to treatment.**Consider testing the kitten for panleukopenia virus with the Idexx canine SNAP parvo test any time the kitten has diarrhea in addition to vomiting, fever, or depression, or if the diarrhea appears to be spreading among animals. And, remember, a negative SNAP test does not completely rule out panleukopenia!